I. Field of Invention
The present invention is related generally to a wireless communication device, and more particularly, to a system and method for automatically pre-pending digits to destination telephone numbers.
II. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, are widely used as a replacement for conventional telephone systems. In addition to functioning as a replacement for a convention telephone, wireless communication devices offer the advantage of portability, thus enabling the user to establish a wireless communication link from almost any location on Earth to almost any other location on Earth.
To establish a communication link using a typical wireless communication device, the user enters the desired destination telephone number (e.g., 555-1234) and presses a xe2x80x9cSENDxe2x80x9d button. Frequently used telephone numbers may be stored in a speed dialing storage area within the wireless communication device. To establish a communication link with a telephone whose number is stored in the speed dialing storage area, the user simply recalls the desired speed dialing location and presses the SEND button.
One disadvantage of the conventional wireless communication device is that the user must manually enter additional prefix digits when making a long-distance call. For example, if a speed dial storage location is programmed with the telephone number 555-1234, the telephone number in the speed dial location may be used directly only when the wireless communication device is within the same geographic region (e.g., area code) as the destination telephone number. For example, if the destination telephone number 555-1234 is in the San Diego area and has an area code of 619, the user can utilize the telephone number in the speed dial storage location only when the user is also within the 619 area code. However, if the user travels to Seattle, for example, the user must manually enter the entire telephone (e.g., 619 555-1234).
Some prior art wireless communication systems include an edit mode that permits the user to manually pre-pend digits to existing telephone numbers in the speed dial storage locations. However, such a system is cumbersome because the user must enter the edit mode, manually add the desired digits, and exit the edit mode prior to initiating the wireless communication link. Furthermore, the user must manually edit the data in each speed dial location every time a call is initiated.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is significant need for a system and method to automatically pre-pend digits to destination telephone numbers in a wireless communication device to thereby provide a complete destination telephone number. The present invention provides this and other advantages as will be illustrated by the following description and accompanying figures.
The present invention is embodied in a system and method for automatically pre-pending digits in a wireless communication device. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a keypad input device to allow the user to enter a destination telephone number. A memory contains a plurality of prefixes and a user-controllable enable signal selectively enables the pre-pending of prefixes in a predetermined sequence. A control processor automatically pre-pends a first sequential one of the plurality of prefixes to the user-entered destination telephone number to thereby generate a complete destination telephone number.
In some cases, the predetermined sequence can include a second prefix. In this situation, the control processor automatically pre-pends the second sequential one of the plurality of prefixes to the user-entered destination telephone number. The system may also include a speed-dial storage area to store a plurality of destination telephone numbers. The user-entered destination telephone number is selected from the speed-dial storage area. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the prefixes are pre-programmed into the memory by a service provider. Alternatively, at least a portion of the prefixes may be pre-programmed into the memory by the user.
In an exemplary embodiment, the system further includes a display to display the completed destination telephone number. The system can also include a transmitter to transmit the completed destination telephone number only if the user confirms the displayed destination telephone number by activating the keypad input device in a predetermined manner to thereby confirm the completed destination telephone number.
In one embodiment, the control processor will pre-pend the prefix to the user-entered destination telephone number in all subsequent calls to the user-entered destination telephone number until the control processor is disabled. The wireless communication device may have a power-on mode and a power-off mode. The control processor, when selectively enabled, pre-pends the prefix to the user-entered destination telephone number in all subsequent calls to the user-entered destination telephone number until the wireless communication device enters the power-off mode such that the control processor is disabled when the wireless communication device enters the power-off mode.